Diaz put away Gray
Maynard with a short straight left and a savage volley of
follow-up punches in
UFC “The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale main event on Saturday at
the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Maynard (11-3-1, 9-3-1
UFC) succumbed to the unanswered blows 2:38 into round one, as he
lost for the third time in four appearances.

Maynard scored with an early takedown but failed to contain “The
Ultimate Fighter 5” winner on the canvas. Diaz (17-9, 12-7 UFC)
returned to an upright position, zeroed in on the American
Kickboxing Academy export and let his hands do the rest. The
Cesar
Gracie disciple shook Maynard with a quick left and swarmed.
Quick, accurate punches kept “The Bully” on his heels, as Diaz
refused to let him breathe. After an extended beating, referee Yves
Lavigne had seen enough.

A decorated boxer with limited MMA experience, Rakoczy (1-4, 0-1
UFC) never hand a chance. Pena went to work after the second of her
two takedowns. “The Venezuelan Vixen” softened Rakoczy with
ground-and-pound, compromised her guard and eventually moved to
full mount. For nearly two full minutes, she tore into Rakoczy with
elbows and punches, forcing the stoppage with only a second
remaining on the clock.

“Jessica is very tough. She hung in there. I can’t believe I got
the finish with one second left, but I’m grateful to be in the
UFC,” Pena said. “I’m very excited, and I can’t wait to put in more
work. It’s just about to get started.”

Holdsworth (5-0, 1-0 UFC) wore down the Englishman with a
relentless series of clinches. In the second round, he countered a
standing guillotine choke with a takedown and ultimately settled in
half guard. Holdsworth then transitioned to his opponent’s back,
securing the position with a body triangle. Grant later moved to a
kneeling position, opening the door for the fight-ending choke.

Holdsworth obliged, and the reluctant tapout came next.

“This has been a long six months,” Holdsworth said, “but hard work
pays off.”

Duke Stays Undefeated, Decisions Morgan

The unbeaten Jessamyn
Duke kept her perfect professional record intact, as she posted
a unanimous decision over Championship Fighting Alliance alum
Peggy
Morgan in a featured women’s bantamweight matchup. Duke (3-0,
1-0 UFC) swept the scorecards by identical 30-27 marks.

Morgan (2-1, 0-1 UFC) was routinely beaten to the punch by the
27-year-old Kentucky native. Duke unleashed damaging punching
combinations on her feet and utilized a dangerous guard on the
ground. Morgan’s best chance at victory came and went in the third
round. There, she transitioned to her adversary’s back after Duke
tried to counter a takedown with an ill-advised headlock. Morgan’s
attempts to secure a rear-naked choke proved unproductive, and the
two bantamweights eventually returned to a standing position.

Pennington Halts Skid, Outpoints Modaferri

Invicta Fighting Championships alum Raquel
Pennington threw the brakes on a two-fight losing streak, as
she captured a unanimous verdict over Roxanne Modaferri in a
women’s bantamweight showcase. All three judges scored it for
Pennington (4-3, 1-0 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Modaferri (15-11, 0-1 UFC) lacked the necessary firepower,
particularly in the standup department. Pennington leaned on heavy
power punching, an effective sprawl and strong ground-and-pound
throughout the 15-minute encounter. In the closing seconds of the
third round, the 25-year-old Colorado native trapped Modaferri in a
mounted guillotine choke and nearly finished it. Pennington settled
for the decision, handing “The Happy Warrior” her sixth straight
defeat.